Private universities think they have a perception problem, and they're trying to do something about it.

As Americans focus increasingly on the cost of college, and the practical value of a degree, they often see private universities as too expensive and too focused on the liberal arts, said Georgia Nugent, a senior fellow at the Council of Independent Colleges.

"It's essential to combat those myths that are out there — that it's elite; that you can't afford it; that it's only for rich, white people; that you'll end up as a barista," Nugent said.

Presidents, faculty members and others from a dozen universities gathered recently at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks to discuss the challenges they're facing and share solutions they've come up with to address those challenges. The symposium was one of eight across the country organized by the Council of Independent Colleges.

"The things we're wrestling with, other people are wrestling with, too," said Chris Kimball, president of CLU and past chairman of the council. "This is a chance for other teams to come together and look at the trends out there."

One of the biggest challenges private universities face is their perceived cost, Kimball said. Families often look at the price tag of a private university and believe they can't afford it, he said. But many private universities have been boosting their financial aid, hoping to attract more low-income students, Kimball said.

They're often doing that by turning to donors, putting their contributions specifically to financial aid, said Kathy Ogren, provost at the University of Redlands, who also attended the symposium. Federal and state grants also help, she said.

With financial aid, tuition at the University of Redlands can be roughly $17,000 to $19,000, rather than $44,900, the standard tuition and fees,Ogren said.

"The sticker price may look so high, but the discount price starts to look competitive with the UCs," she said.

Students at private universities also are more likely to graduate in four years, rather than the five or six years that are more typical at public universities — thereby saving a year or two of tuition, Kimball said.

Melissa Doll, a counselor at Thousand Oaks High, thinks that message — that private universities can be affordable — is starting to get out there.

There's also the perception that private universities don't provide a practical education, that many are too mired in tradition and focused on the liberal arts. So they need to do a better job of explaining the unique value they offer, Kimball said.

That includes the value of a liberal arts education, which can prepare students for the series of careers they will likely have, rather than one specific job, Nugent said.

"Change is coming ever faster," she said. "This is the best possible preparation when you need intellectual flexibility."

But private universities also are doing a better job of meeting the practical needs of the communities around them, Nugent said. A university in upstate New York, where craft breweries are popular, recently started offering a beer program, Nugent said.

Redlands provides programs for people who are just a few classes short of a degree, Ogren said. Then counselors see if they might want to continue into a graduate program, she said.

"There's a huge number of Americans who have never finished a degree, and we help them do that," Ogren said. "Part of our message to students will be, 'If you finish your degree, do you want to go on?'"

Another challenge is diversity, the sense that private universities are enclaves of white privilege.

"Fifteen years ago, it would have been true that these campuses weren't very diversified," Nugent said. Today, they have more minority, low-income students, as well as students who are the first in their families to go to college.